Committee narrows Hurley mascot choices

By BRYAN HELLIOS

bhellios@yourdailyglobe.com

Hurley - Representatives from the Hurley K-12 School's rebranding committee narrowed a list of possible new mascots down to 13 names during a meeting on Tuesday.

The list of the 13 mascot nominations making the cut include some that capitalize on the area's history, including Timberjaxx, Trailblazers, Rangers and Hematites.

There are some that focus on the area's weather like Blizzards, Heat, Storm and Northern Storm.

Others included the Lakers, Northstars, Phonenix and 49ers, representing iron miners and honoring the 1949 state championship boys basketball team.

Finally, just Hurley, "why complicate things with a new mascot," suggested the nominee.

"I'm pleased that we got to 13," Kevin Genisot, district administrator said. "Next week, we'll get it down to three."

The committee members will return on Tuesday to vote for three names. The top three will be voted on by students and staff.

"On June 5, 551 kids and 81 staff will receive a link to vote," Genisot said.

The "winning choice" will be presented to the school board by the executive committee student president and vice president at June's meeting.

Genisot said the selection process to choose the school's new mascot is the most democratic way they could come up with.

"It's really about the kids, and the kids have 95% of the say in it," he said.

For Tuesday's meeting, committee members were issued packets with 76 mascot suggestions generated from a survey of the school and community. Each name came with a logo idea and explanation as to the mascot's significance.

Each member chose 10 names from the 76 submitted. Every name earning 10 or more committee votes made it to the next round.

The rebranding committee is comprised of representatives from Hurley's student body, coaches, teachers, support staff, administration, Hurley Education Foundation, booster club, Quarterback Club and the Parent Teacher Organization.

Sixth grader Connor Saari said he feels honored to be part of choosing the mascot, but realized his choice will affect "everyone around here."

"I think it's good to change the name because people thought it was controversial," he said.

Ally Rye, president of the senior class, said she is pretty involved with the school and felt it was her "duty" to support future students.

"Having a couple representatives from every group here is really going to help create this new mascot for our school," she said.

Rye said she thinks the meetings have been "beneficial" and believes the process for the change is going to work out.

"I think this is going to put all the feuding aside," she said.

Other mascot suggestions that didn't make the final 13 include: Ambassadors, Anchors, Anglers, Badgers, Black Bears, Boilermakers, Bucks, Coyotes, Eagles and Fighting Hawks.

Foxes, Harriers, Headframers, Helmsmen, Herd, Heroes, Hornets, Hurricanes, Huskies and Iron.

Iron Horses, Iron Nuggets, Iron Rangers, Ironmen/Ironwomen, Jets, Knights, Lake Effect, Lions, Loggers and Lumberjacks/Lumberjills.

Mighty Hawks, Orange, Miners, Mud Daubers, Nuggets, Orioles, Penokee Rangers, Pioneers, Pride and Prospectors.

Pythons, Rails, Rebels, Riders, River Miners, Screaming Eagles, Silver Streaks, Soaring Eagles, Splintercats and Thunder.

Tide, Tigers, Timbers, Timberwolves, Troopers, Whistle Punk, Wild Knights, Wildcats, Wolves and Yetis.

There were also several suggestions that strayed away from explicitly having Hurley in the name, these included: Iron County North Stars, Northern Iron County, Northmxn/Northwomxn and Northern Storm.